IP Library Granted Patent US 9,666,430
Granted Patent B2
US 9,666,430 · App. 14/597,372 · Granted May 30, 2017

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device and substrate processing apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,666,430
App. No.
14/597,372
Granted
May 30, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A film is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle at least twice, the cycle including a nucleus formation process for forming nuclei on the substrate and a nucleus growth suppression process for suppressing growth of the nuclei. A time required for the nucleus growth suppression process is less than or equal to a time required for the nucleus formation process. Alternatively, the nucleus formation process is further performed after the cycle is repeatedly performed a plurality of times.

Claims (31)

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

(a) forming silicon nuclei on an entire surface of a substrate to cover the entire surface without a gap between the formed silicon nuclei and the substrate by alternately repeating a cycle twice or more, the cycle including:

(a-1) supplying a first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate under a condition that the silicon nuclei present on a surface of the substrate is partially removed and a growth of the silicon nuclei remaining on the surface of the substrate is suppressed and exhausting the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine; and

(a-2) directly after the step (a-1), supplying a second silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate under a condition that the silicon nuclei is formed on a portion of the surface of the substrate where the silicon nuclei is not present and exhausting the supplied second silicon-containing gas; and

(b) forming a silicon film by supplying a third silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate to grow the silicon nuclei formed in the step (a) and exhausting the supplied third silicon-containing gas.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon film comprises an amorphous silicon film.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplied third silicon-containing gas differs from the supplied second silicon-containing gas.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplied third silicon-containing gas is same as the supplied second silicon-containing gas.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of SiH 2 Cl 2 gas, SiHCl 3 gas and SiCl 4 gas, the supplied second silicon-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Si 2 H 6 gas, SiH 4 gas and Si 3 H 8 gas, and the supplied third silicon-containing gas comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Si 2 H 6 gas and SiH 4 gas.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine comprises SiH 2 Cl 2 gas, the supplied second silicon-containing gas comprises Si 2 H 6 gas or SiH 4 gas, and the supplied third silicon-containing gas comprises Si 2 H 6 gas or SiH 4 gas.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine comprises SiH 2 Cl 2 gas, the supplied second silicon-containing gas comprises Si 2 H 6 gas, and the supplied third silicon-containing gas comprises SiH 4 gas.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a time required for the step (a-1) is less than or equal to a time required for the step (a-2).

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the steps (a-1) and (a-2) is performed at a temperature equal to or higher than 300° C. and equal to or lower than 500° C.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the steps (a-1) and (a-2) is performed under a processing pressure equal to or higher than 10 Pa and equal to or lower than 1,330 Pa.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicon nuclei is continuously formed on the entire surface of the substrate in the step (a).

12. A substrate processing method comprising:

(a) forming silicon nuclei on an entire surface of a substrate to cover the entire surface without a gap between the formed silicon nuclei and the substrate by alternately repeating a cycle twice or more, the cycle including:

(a-1) supplying a first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate to partially remove the silicon nuclei and impurities present on the surface of the substrate and suppress a growth of the silicon nuclei remaining on the surface of the substrate and exhausting the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine; and

(a-2) directly after the step (a-1), supplying a second silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate to form the silicon nuclei on a portion of the surface of the substrate where the silicon nuclei is not present and exhausting the supplied second silicon-containing gas; and

(b) forming a silicon film by supplying a third silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate to grow the silicon nuclei formed in the step (a) and exhausting the supplied third silicon-containing gas.

13. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate;

a first gas supply system configured to supply a first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate in the process chamber;

a second gas supply system configured to supply a second silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate in the process chamber;

a third gas supply system configured to supply a third silicon-containing gas different from the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate in the process chamber;

an exhaust system configured to exhaust the gases supplied to the substrate; and

a controller configured to control the first gas supply system, the second gas supply system, the third gas supply system and the exhaust system by the controller being configured to perform:

(a) forming silicon nuclei on an entire surface of the substrate to cover the entire surface without a gap between the formed silicon nuclei and the substrate by alternately repeating a cycle twice or more, the cycle including:

(a-1) supplying the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine to the substrate in the process chamber under a condition that the silicon nuclei present on the surface of the substrate is partially removed and a growth of the silicon nuclei remaining on the surface of the substrate is suppressed and exhausting the supplied first silicon-containing gas containing chlorine; and

(a-2) directly after the act (a-1), supplying the supplied second silicon-containing gas to the substrate in the process chamber under a condition that the silicon nuclei is formed on a portion of the surface of the substrate where the silicon nuclei is not present and exhausting the supplied second silicon-containing gas; and

(b) forming a silicon film by supplying the supplied third silicon-containing gas to the substrate in the process chamber to grow the silicon nuclei formed in the act (a) and exhausting the supplied third silicon-containing gas.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2018
From: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
To: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048008/0206 →